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We talk with Scott J. Buchanan, President and Owner of Scott J. Aveda Salons, on how Cezanne elevates business and builds relationships between the salon and its customers.

People think they want stick-straight hair until they have it.

Formaldehyde-based smoothing treatments are popular, but at what cost to the health of stylists and consumers? The treatment brings in revenue, but is that worth sacrificing your conscience? The conversation about formaldehyde has shifted—people know of the dangers now, Scott J. Buchanan, President and Owner of Scott J. Aveda Salons, said. With the somewhat unregulated beauty industry, the choice is up to salons, stylists, and consumers on whether they want to take the risks or leave formaldehyde smoothing treatments behind.

“Our mission is our moral compass. We must be transparent. We’re not out to make a dollar.”

Despite the information about how dangerous it is, there are still salons and customers willing to do anything for straight hair, including what’s worked for them in the past.

“Someone came into the salon and said, ‘I need the killer s---.’”

He offers them the results they want without compromising their health or his moral compass. Learn how he’s using Cezanne’s 100% formaldehyde-free smoothing treatment in his salons to elevate service, education, and environmental awareness with stylists and clients.

“It’s about bringing the beauty within you out.”

1. Cezanne Builds Relationships with Stylists and Customers

“I’ve got two customers: My clients and my team,” Buchanan said. “Neither one is more important than the other.”

Cezanne builds relationships in his salon because offering a 100% formaldehyde-free smoothing allows his stylists to be honest and upfront about the smoothing treatment with customers. His stylists also appreciate that he follows the core beliefs of the salon’s mission statement.

2. Cezanne is a 100% Formaldehyde-Free Treatment That’s Effective

“Being an Aveda salon owner and caring about the health of my workers and customers, I was always looking for a new smoothing system that was natural and actually did something.”

Cezanne’s formula of keratin, sericin, and glycolic acid doesn’t chemically modify the structure of the hair or break disulfide bonds, but still smooths hair with an effect that lasts up to five months. It’s natural and, most importantly, it performs.

The hair is still pliable, shiny, and frizz-free—not stick straight and flat, like the results from Japanese straighteners and formaldehyde-based treatments.

3. Cezanne is Made for the Hairdresser and Consumer

“The hairdresser can do it quickly and the client can put their hair up right away.”

Cezanne is a great point of difference for Scott J Salons, he said. The Express treatment, which lasts up to six weeks and takes about an hour to perform, has been a nice entry level service for clients.

“Hairdressers are doing it because they’re getting a great response from the guests.”

If the stylist educates the client beforehand and afterwards about what to expect from the treatment, it creates trust and solidifies bonds between that customer and the salon.

4. Cezanne Doesn’t Take Away from the Customer Experience

Easy smoothing and happy clients. That’s what Cezanne is all about.

The application doesn’t release smoke or carcinogens, so the stylist doesn’t need special ventilation, a mask, or even gloves to perform the treatment. This makes for a much smoother process for the stylist and a much more positive experience for the customer. Overall, the Cezanne takes less steps to perform than other leading smoothing treatments.

Clients can walk out of the salon with no restrictions on washing hair, working out, using styling products, and wearing ponytails or clips. The treatment makes it easier for the client to blow-dry and straighten their own hair.

“The beauty is the mobility.”

After all, who says that stick straight hair is the standard for what’s attractive in a society? When the treatment becomes more about education and service, the real beauty of the Cezanne treatment shines through. It’s about making the client’s hair more manageable with no tradeoffs.